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-When I was young I never understood why we hid from them, from mortals. Even the weakest warlock or witch had enough power to summon a storm that could destroy a whole city, we could defy death, our lifespan was of centuries if not more, we were all powerful, beautiful and to the mortal eternal.171Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡX9NRb7eCY6
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Myself and many others back then though that we were at the very least better if not wholly superior to the mortals. A not to small number of our generation openly considered them to be an inferior race that we should rule over, as a master rules a slave.171Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDIIXyPv3yK
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Then came that terrifying night in the Forests of Calliope.171Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBkcJ1giLF7
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There and then I knew why we feared mortals.171Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡITIMFJwJLG
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- Arch Bishop Philippe 'The Wise' of the Church of Hecate.171Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7ZjubZDa84
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Taken from the Documentary 'The Anarchy and the Peace.'171Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzgHRFTHBQv
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Book 1-Ch 3-Nevermore beyond my pane171Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEDnlD9ZQSy
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He heard it, smelled it, felt the rotten feeling that warned of its danger before he actually saw the wall of Blue flames.171Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpWCJp9yZTC
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Ross did not have a deep knowledge of physics or chemistry but he knew that the more blue-ish a flame was the hotter it burned, this seemed to be Hellfire itself, this was fire so powerful that it felt like it could burn Ross's very soul.171Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvhCmw9v0Wj
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But no matter the universe A is still A.171Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUYmNruovOM
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And fire is still fire.171Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvZ0wt4gFBs
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And the blue flames was still fire and any fire needs oxygen, so when Ross pulled out a canister filled with Co2 the flames diminished enough for Ross to jump pass the wall of Hellfire.171Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnN7ZW6j84S
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Then came the beasts of the forest, more savage versions of wolves and bears, built to hunt across realms and nightmares, built to track their prey to the worlds on the other side of the mirror.171Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4ufT6cxTDD
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Creatures that even those with magic, light or dark, would fear.171Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOx7z3rNr22
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But they are still beasts, so Ross pulls out a bag of dog treats throws at them and the dire wolves and fell bats all swarm around it, this is not the first time Ross had brought food with him in the forest.171Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6ys3HxN51B
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After the demonic hound affair he always came prepared and had to use his treats a few times to escape the demonic animals in the forest, and these ones where laced with sedatives.171Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOuoudJYvOT
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Ross was not innocent, but he drew the line at killing animal needlessly.171Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVbLyu33f4U
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Then came the fell bats, their screeches on the wind and shapes that flew in an out of the little light that Ross had on his person to see through the darkens surrounded him, forming a twister of fang and claw, wing and teeth.171Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfzsulHHl6A
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These where the locust of the Demon Realm, a wave of devouring mouth that could swallow all flesh that they swept over.171Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdRwmcwYilj
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But they were still bats, still animals, and they had sensitive noses and ears.171Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjVI0c6GCZO
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So Ross took out a canister that was filled with a substance that had one of the most foulest stenches known to man.171Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7k9XdhjWff
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The twister of flying dark creatures immediately increased the distance between itself and the scarred mortal.171Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpUklDGuY7D
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Then came the subsonic flute that was connected to a small hand cranked pump, with that it was too much for the ears and noses of the fell bats as they flew away.171Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡK82TVHlMGI
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Ross fell to his knees there and then as the terror momentarily overwhelmed him to such a degree that he had to stop and recover, this temporary pause in the horrors ahead gave him the necessary time to recover.171Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRLpNpVU55B
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Temptation whispered in his ear there and then. Temptation to give up, go back.171Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8RS1a9uUls
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Ross looked back to the path he had walked upon and he knew that all that was behind him was darkness and beasts, in front of him lie the unknown that send shivers down his spine.171Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0da7wrQoLn
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So he continued on, despite every muscle in his body, every brain cell in his head, every fragment of his soul shouted for him to go back as the whispers continued to say the same.171Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWPKN9g2w47
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"I'm not stupid enough to listen to the reasoning of a crazy man, especially my own." Ross said to himself as he treated forward.171Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8RFY4y3OEJ
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His feet like they weighted a ton, his lungs like concrete, his vision blurry as his body reacted trying to protect him.171Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHffzkpj4Su
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Yet still Ross trudged on, this was the crazy things about mortals. They would march forward in the darkness, and why? Why did they marched into what seemed to be the Belly of the Beast?171Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtXzOzswKQn
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They did it because it was the unknown, where untold horrors lay, but also wonders.171Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnfFYHmnIFp
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It could be the biggest mistake of his life, but also the best decision he ever made.171Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhBjPEKFtCZ
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And as long as that small threat of hope remained. That single weak ember of a better tomorrow burned, then that ember could light a fire and even the weakest fire could banish the dark.171Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJwUf4sfQcR
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Some say you'd have to be mad to live like that. Fortunately Ross was.171Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEyPqRKXmRx
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So he took his heart in his teeth and marched forward.171Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpuZqpGgrBZ
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So he marched forward, with each step his feet became lighter, his lungs softer, his vision cleared.171Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcNbfwRqgKI
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He conquered his fear and used it to fuel his resolve.171Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjP00QI0C5N
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Ross walked past the beasts and now before him stood a golem made of earth and rock, with a skin so thick that no blade or bullet could pierce it.171Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwKUz1yauXJ
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Yet unlike the curse of before, or looking at the deep dark woods, or the hellfire and beast that he faced, it's not fear that grips him171Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9w43JSrjn1
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"Turn back now or suffer my wr-" The Golems words where cut of as Ross, used not a blade or bullet, but threw a small bag of salt into the Golem's opened mouth.171Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFpyWW1O0Q5
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The Golem collapsed to its feet as Ros moved to run past the now coughing construction of rock, soil and magic, but a great caught his leg and hoisted Ross upside down.171Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡe1NYkQWJ8z
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The Golem growled at him, but like before when it wasted time with words or deeds it was struck by Ross's quick counter.171Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJITQOFt8WL
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This time Ross threw the bell from his belt right at the Golem's face.171Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGcVP7RCkAH
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BANG.171Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSbO9J4hkRJ
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The golem let go of Ross as it cradle it's head both from the force of the blow but also from the bell's holy sound.171Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbXzE4ED1Fj
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Ross fell to the ground and quickly grabbed the bell and attached to it a rope that he had for climbing and then swung the bell around and over his head once to gain momentum before striking the Golem once more with the bell.171Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrj4NDbBNGM
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BANG171Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡB25tD8NcqW
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The Golem now shielded it's face and crouched down against Ross who was half the Golem's size, yet was now Ross was the one on the offensive.171Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHjsqZmeQJp
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BANG171Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡe1wdbiM0Ix
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Another blow from the whip like weapon as this time Ross aimed at the Golem's right leg, making the creatures topple down, then Ross struck again.171Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyyola11Hws
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BANG171Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡILiuW5Sw8e
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The Golem disintegrated into a flash of energy as Ross took a breather to regain his strength and vigor. His leg ached like it had been a slightly stronger squeeze away from being broken, Ross was certain it would swell like crazy and be as purple as an eggplant tomorrow.171Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKipD1eQZdA
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Only the painkillers he took in advance before entering the woods helped. For not he managed to avoid using the stronger ones like opioids and he hoped that the worse was behind.171Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIFaLhcK0Rk
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A man can dream can't he?171Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWUwHyLJL3D
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"Needs something sturdier, perhaps a chain and something on the handle if they get into close range." Ross said out loud as he studied the whip like bell tipped weapon and it's surprising effectiveness.171Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3J5NN7uZgK
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When the flash dissipated in the Golem's place was a great red orb, one that Ross looked at in disbelief.171Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4OQI4MydZI
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"Well now, here's hoping that brute strength is the answer here." Ross said as he instinctly whipped the red orb, smashing it.171Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyaYvZeliwv
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Immediately in front of him a curtain of energy flashed and reformed itself like the image of waves crashing into white foam on a beach.171Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFzxOClc7Ct
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It seemed like the forest, reality itself, was distorted in front of him as an illusion was broken.171Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKkx7jJTv19
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And in front of him was Hexen surrounded by other witches and warlocks and standing over a bound and gagged woman, with a knife at her throat.171Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhX37GuNiFx
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There, Ross's closest friend, a flawed yet kind and caring person who had come to his aide many times before despite danger, stood over another ready to kill her in cold blood.171Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8mjHembIV8
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Yes, truly an illusion had been broken tonight.171Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSa3bpe9BZg
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Ross froze at that, he was tired, scared, lost in the woods, exhausted and from the brief touch of the Golem his leg was close to making him limp, only the shock of the sight before him was what made his brain ignore all of that and focus on the image of Hexen.171Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrklDCC3qa4
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Kind Hexen, sweet Hexen, always there for him Hexen, who called him so many wonderful things and made him laugh so often, brave and noble Hexen who always rushed to protect him when this mortal was in mortal danger.171Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJG6DoROir0
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That Hexen was a step away from committing a murder most foul.171Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUTMQTNFbhK
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"Ross, there's something I have to tell you. I'm a witch." Hexen said awkwardly and gave a smile belonged on the cat that caught the canary. Which in Hexen's case was the poor struggling girl at her feet that was the same age as Hexen.171Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPMK7l0ZYxa
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Ross still speechless then and there realized why the Myr had affected Hexen for that Hexen was not just a witch, but a dark witch.171Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcsn4KFpkTy
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A very, very dark witch. Dark enough to be affected by the Myr like full blown demons and Ross had just interrupted a human sacrifice.171Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡr42uZEotxx
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Yes, an illusion was broken tonight indeed171Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3ajHIJNapf
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"I always thought you to be an elf." Was his reply as a confused Hexen and the other witches and warlocks presented looked at him in surprise.171Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡW5SedHuBFW
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"What?" She said, the knife still at her sacrifice's throat who also looked surprise by the events.171Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvjvHUuDJZc
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And with that the clock struck 3.171Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnm063CWrmY
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The witching hour, a bell whip, two illusions shattered and confusion reigned supreme now.171Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcWosOL0swg
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Just another night in the town of Calliope.
